Takeaways: Horvat Helps Isles to 4-3 OT Win Over Habs

The stakes were high entering Thursday’s contest against the Montreal Canadiens, and the New York Islanders understood the assignment, pulling off a 4-3 OT win – and pulling within two points of a playoff spot.

Bo Horvat’s second goal of the game doubled as the overtime winner 3:37 into the extra frame, while Anthony Duclair (PPG) and Simon Holmstrom (PPG) also scored for the Islanders. Joshua Roy, Patrik Laine (1G, 1A), Brendan Gallagher provided goals for the Canadiens and Sam Montembeault made 21 saves in defeat.

“What I really like is that without playing our best game, we found a way to win,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said. “At the end of the day, if you’re not playing your best and find ways to win, it’s a good sign, that’s a sign of a good hockey team.”

The aforementioned stakes were due to the implications in the standings. The Isles and Canadiens – who maintained their second wild card status in the Eastern Conference with 74 points - entered the contest three points apart in the standings and the Islanders (72 points) narrowed that gap to two points by the end of the night.

Tony DeAngelo, Noah Dobson and Ilya Sorokin – yes, Ilya Sorokin – all had two-assist nights. Sorokin earned second star honors with 38 saves and making some key plays, including the secondary assist on Horvat’s OT goal.

“He was definitely the first star of the game, you guys can decide if he got it for the number of saves he made or the number of points he got,” Roy said to the media postgame.

TAKEAWAYS

- After rallying with multi-goal third periods on Sunday and Tuesday, the Islanders were on the wrong side of a rally on Thursday. The Islanders had a 3-1 advantage early in the third period but allowed Montreal back into the game as Laine cut the lead to 3-2 with a power-play goal and Gallagher scored with 5:44 left in regulation to force overtime. Allowing Montreal to pick up a precious point in the air-tight standings wasn’t ideal, but the Isles got the job done when Horvat whizzed into the Habs zone on a 2-on-1 with Palmieri and snapped the puck through Montembeault, causing UBS Arena to erupt. Horvat’s OT winner was his third this season.

“We would have liked to win that one in regulation, but to get the win in overtime is huge for us,” Horvat said. “They’re a good team over there they’ve been playing well as of late. It was a big two points for us.”

- The Habs came in hot – with a record of 8-1-2 since the 4 Nations Faceoff break – but the Islanders had a strong stat on their side too. Their win on Thursday marked their 10^th win at home in their last 13 games.

- After two consecutive games where the Islanders allowed the first two goals and had to mount a comeback, they found a way to get on the board first. Anders Lee made a gritty play behind the net, corralling the puck behind the boards and shoveling a backhand pass to Duclair, who fired off a quick shot at the right side of the crease at the 5:37 mark of the first period.

- In a physical, playoff-style matchup, the Isles power play came through big time and converted twice. Duclair’s power-play goal ended a drought where the Isles went 0-for-18 on the man advantage in their last five games. The Islanders scored their second power play tally when Holmstrom unleashed a pretty one-timer from the left dot in the second period.

"When we move the puck on the power play, when we compete to get the puck back on our entry, it's a difference maker," Roy said. "These are important. At this stage of the season, when we have a power play, we have to make it count."

- Head Coach Patrick Roy went 1-for-2 on the coach's challenge on Thursday, as he challenged both of Montreal's tallies. Emil Heineman sent a cross-ice pass set up Nick Suzuki, who walked in and scored on Sorokin, but Roy challenged and won for offsides. Roy also called for goalie interference for a sequence proceeding Laine’s dart on the power play from the low left circle but was unsuccessful.

- The Islanders PK had a strong night, fending off four of five penalties.

- Lee recorded his 500th career point with an assist on Duclair’s opening goal. Lee passed Derek King for sole possession of 13th place in franchise history. The captain leads the Isles with 25 goals this season.

“He’s been doing a great job as a leader of this team, making sure the guys are accountable night after night,” Roy said. “I’m happy for him. That’s a great milestone.”

- Not only did Sorokin make 38 saves in the win, but he also recorded two assists – the secondary assists on Horvat’s third period goal an OT winner - becoming the first goaltender in Islanders history to record a multi-point game.

“We know he’s a great goalie, but we didn’t know he was the best playmaker and today he proved that as well,” Holmstrom said with a smile.

LINEUP NOTES

Alexander Romanov missed his second straight game with an illness.

ODDS AND ENDS

• Noah Dobson extended his point streak to three games (2G, 2A).
• Bo Horvat led the team with 11 total shot attempts (five on goal, five blocked and one missed) and tied Hudson Fasching for a team-high five shots on goal.
• Simon Holmstrom is building on career-highs with 17 goals and 37 points.

NOTABLE QUOTE

Simon Holmstrom on the Islanders’ three-game winning streak:

“It gives us a lot of confidence, especially with the two comeback wins we had, and tonight’s win especially, every point matters right now to get into the playoffs. Now we’re just looking toward the game ahead.”

NEXT GAME

The Islanders continue their four-game homestand with a matchup against the Calgary Flames on Saturday for Youth Hockey Night at UBS Arena. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m.